Even as construction begins, the fight continues. Within the jail, monitors find, conditions are worse, due to the same old chronic issues: short staffing, violence, and shoddy mental-healthcare.
Author Archives: Nick Chrastil
Nicholas Chrastil covers criminal justice for The Lens. As a freelancer, his work has appeared in Slate, Undark, Mother Jones, and the Atavist, among other outlets. Chrastil has a master's degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University, where his research focused on New Orleans' newspapers during the Reconstruction era. During his time at LSU, he also covered the Louisiana state legislature as part of the Manship Statehouse Bureau. He is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Calvin Cains’ mother withdraws one lawsuit, but will keep fighting for body-cam
She now plans to file a “civil-rights and wrongful death lawsuit” against JPSO; body-camera footage would likely be turned over in the course of those proceedings.
Posted inCriminal Justice
With numbers on the rise, New Orleans jail nears legal population cap
It’s unclear what — if anything — will happen if the cap is reached, but officials say they are looking for ways to reduce the number of people locked up in the troubled facility.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Federal judge rules that officers violated no civil rights even if they drew guns on Black youth looking for lost chihuahua
The two officers worked for one of the city’s security districts, which are not subject to the NOPD’s federal consent decree and its enforcement of constitutional standards for its officers.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Options to avoid Phase III construction narrow further, as Judge Africk denies Sheriff Hutson’s legal challenge to the jail addition
Also, advocacy group VOTE sues the city for quietly shuffling city funds totaling $32 million to the Phase III “special needs” jail.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Without council approval, city appears to allocate $32 million to Phase III jail
Apparent Cantrell administration allocation adds $10 million from unknown source. Also, architects differentiate their jail design from notorious “panopticon” configuration.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Youth kept at Angola facility receive poor education and are held in cells for discipline, lawyers suggest, at first day of hearing
Federal judge in Baton Rouge hears arguments about the facility that she allowed to open a year ago.
Posted inCriminal Justice
City identifies $22 million for controversial Phase III jail construction
Earmarked funds were initially slated for greenspace and building improvements.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Pushback against Phase III amps up, as construction looms
Councilman calls proposed Phase III mental-health facility, “goofiest thing,” but the new push against the facility comes as contractors gear up to start building.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Conditions backslid for first part of Sheriff Hutson’s tenure over New Orleans jail, monitors find
Jail is plagued by too much contraband and use of force by deputies while lacking proper healthcare and classification.